Waking up with heart racing, low O2, without any OA/CA events

[WarpedTrekker]

I'm 47yo male. I have several nights lately again, where my heart rate races and wakes me up. SpO2 appears to drop a bit, and I feel warm in my arms/hands and face and have night sweats. I also feel like my oxygen level is low. This has occurred two nights in a row now. REM sleep appears to be when I have the most issues with my heart racing and SpO2 dropping.

My cardiologist, electrophysiologist and sleep doctor, has no answers!
My pychiatrist switched my Lamictal to Lexapro I take in the morning, but it hasn't helped with this heart racing. It has only helped with panic/anxiety attacks during the day. I don't have these racing heart rate during the day.

I've had a history of DVT/PE and AFIB, but all of that is under control. Any thoughts what is causing me to wake up with heart racing and low SpO2?
Could I still be having panic attacks in my sleep?
Recent Holter Monitor for two weeks showed nothing wrong, but i really didnt have this type of event during that time.

1 - 1st chart is the full night, I woke at 5:30am due to heart racing.
2 - 2nd pic shows an unusual O2 drop, without any event, but made my heart race. I woke up with heart racing over 100bpm+.
3- 3rd pic shows my REM sleep, where my O2 and HR fluctuates a lot. Is this normal?

1-O2drop.JPG (63.29 KiB) Viewed 1156 times

5-fullchart.png (486.27 KiB) Viewed 1154 times

3-REM.JPG (106.99 KiB) Viewed 1156 times

[Dan_McD]

I read somewhere that most dreams happen during REM sleep. I don't know that for sure, but if that is true, I could see heart rate and oxygen saturation numbers changing during that event. I have woken up from dreams/nightmares and it takes awhile to gain reality orientation.

[Dan_McD]

I found this on google.
*
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"The first phase of REM usually lasts for 10 minutes, with each phase getting progressively longer.

The final phase of REM sleep may last for up to an hour.

During REM sleep, the body and brain go through several changes, including:

Rapid movement of the eyes.
Fast and irregular breathing.
Increased heart rate (to near waking levels).
Changes in body temperature.
Increased blood pressure.
Brain activity similar to that seen while awake."
Increased oxygen consumption by the brain.
Sexual arousal in both men and women.
Twitching of the face and limbs.
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https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/247927.php

[klm49]

I was having O2 desaturations but don't remember what the heart rate was doing. I showed my Neurologist Sleep Dr. and she said it was likely me entering REM which was normal. My O2 was dropping into the 80's is what concerned me.

[jimbud]

I was having O2 desaturations but don't remember what the heart rate was doing. I showed my Neurologist Sleep Dr. and she said it was likely me entering REM which was normal. My O2 was dropping into the 80's is what concerned me.

Your avatar looks like hairy frogs in my old high school Biology class.
JPB

[Dan_McD]

I was having O2 desaturations but don't remember what the heart rate was doing. I showed my Neurologist Sleep Dr. and she said it was likely me entering REM which was normal. My O2 was dropping into the 80's is what concerned me.

My in lab sleep study, desaturation was 74% during REM. On APAP it rarely goes below 87%. With the added 1L of oxygen from a concentrator it rarely goes below 89%. In both cases it is often between 92 and 94%. That is more than adequate for a dual diagnosed patient. With both OSA and COPD.

[Patriot Partner]

Thinking outside the traditional box

1. dreaming causing adrenaline release

2. digestive/ VAGUS nerve agitation

3. LOW ADRENAL cortisol function middle of the night

4. MSG/ allergy (diet coke?)

5. caffeine

6.

[rionoirble]

Did you turn the machine off right there? Any chance it turned off by itself and left you unable to breath? That’s what I was just experiencing recently.

[TheBigTenor]

I used to have very similar occurrences that would wake me up at 2:30-3:30 am almost every night.

So I'm curious if you've alleviated your problem or found what was causing it?

I stopped using Lisinopril (ACE Inhibitor), drinking alcohol so close to bed time and stopped using antiperspirant deodorant all about the same time. So one or a combination of them all were the cause to my problem. The only way to find out would be to adding one of those things back into my life and see what results I would get. However, my curiosity isn't piqued enough to start wanting to wake up in a panic at 3 am enough to try and find out!

Now when I wake up at 3 am, no more heart racing. I roll over and keep breathing through those nasal pillows like a baby.

[zonker]

I stopped using Lisinopril (ACE Inhibitor), drinking alcohol so close to bed time and stopped using antiperspirant deodorant all about the same time.

and you have ME curious. what did you read or hear about antiperspirant deodorant that caused you to stop using it?

legit question, not snark.

(yeah, i could google it, but my google skills are quite weak!)

[TheBigTenor]

Actually it was only a coincidence that I stopped using it about the exact same time. I didn't stop in hopes of it being one of the causes. There are plenty of possible issues using aluminum based deodorants, but I eat too much crappy food for that to be a real concern.

[zonker]

Actually it was only a coincidence that I stopped using it about the exact same time. I didn't stop in hopes of it being one of the causes. There are plenty of possible issues using aluminum based deodorants, but I eat too much crappy food for that to be a real concern.

oh. i'm disappointed. wasn't sure if you were going to tell me it was some "woo" or if you were going to show me a link.